The events in Egypt of late have captured the attention of the
world, as many thousands of Egyptians take to the streets both in
opposition to and in favor of the current regime. We watch from a
distance hoping that events do not spiral further into violence,
which will destroy lives and threaten the livelihoods of average
Egyptians caught up in the political turmoil.

I hope that Egyptians are able to work toward a more free and just
society. Unfortunately, much of the blame for the unrest in Egypt and the
resulting instability in the region rests with US foreign policy over the past
several decades.

The US government has sent more than $60 billion to the Egyptian
regime since the Camp David Accords in 1978 to purchase stability, including
more security for the state of Israel. We see now the folly of our
interventionist foreign policy: not only has that stability fallen to pieces
with the current unrest, but the years of propping up the corrupt regime in
Egypt has led the people to increase their resentment of both America and Israel!

We are both worse off for decades of intervention into Egypt’s
internal affairs. I wish I could say that we have learned our lesson and will no
longer attempt to purchase―or rent―friends in the Middle East, but I am afraid
that is being too optimistic.

Already we see evidence that while the US historically propped up
the Egyptian regime, we also provided assistance to groups opposed to the regime.

So we have lost the credibility to claim today that we support the
self-determination of the Egyptian people. Our double dealing has not endeared
us to Egyptians who now seek to reclaim their independence and national dignity.

“Diplomacy” via foreign aid transfer payments only makes us less
safe at home and less trusted overseas. But the overriding reality is that we
simply cannot afford to continue a policy of buying friends.

"'Diplomacy' via foreign aid transfer payments
only makes us less safe at home and less trusted overseas. But the
overriding reality is that we simply cannot afford to continue a
policy of buying friends."

We face an ongoing and potentially deepening recession at
home―so how can we justify to the unemployed and
underemployed in the United States the incredible cost of
maintaining a global empire? Moral arguments aside, we must
stop sending hundreds of billions of dollars to foreign
governments when our own economy is in shambles.

American media and talking heads repeatedly pose the same
loaded questions: Should the administration encourage the
Egyptian president to remain or to resign? Should the US
ensure Mohamed ElBaradei or current vice president Omar
Suleiman succeeds current president Mubarak? The best answer
to these questions is that we should just do nothing, as
Eisenhower did in 1956. We should leave Egypt for Egyptians
to figure out.

Some may claim that this is isolationism. Nothing could be
further from the truth.

We should enthusiastically engage in trade and allow travel
between countries, but we should stay out of their internal
affairs.

We are in fact more isolated from Egypt now than ever,
because the regime we propped up appears to be falling. We
have isolated ourselves from the Egyptian people by propping
up their government, as we isolate ourselves from Tunisians,
Israelis, and other recipients of our foreign aid. Their
resentment of our interventionist policies makes us less
safe, because we lose our authority to conduct meaningful
diplomacy when unpopular regimes fall overseas. We also
radicalize those who resented our support for past regimes.

Let us hope for a more prosperous and peaceful era for the
Egyptians, and let us learn the lessons of our thirty year
Egyptian mistake.